Mr X or Mr Morgan
by mandymld
Summary: Jason is killed at the penthouse or is he? What is going on in Port Charles? And who knew what?
1. Chapter 1

This was one of the stories I wrote for the HH Birthday Bash. 

Chapter One

Mac hung up the phone and with a grim continence walked out to his bull pen and looked around saddened to realize there wasn't a single man out there he trusted with what he was about to investigate.

Just as he was debating calling the FBI, the State Police or even his ex sister-in-law, he realized something, he wasn't so sure he trusted them either. While he loved Anna, she had been a little off during her visit, a little too friendly with the very people he would be investigating.

"Sir, is it okay if I head home, things are rather quiet right now and Lulu and I, well we need to talk." said Dante.

Turning to look at his detective, one of the many he didn't trust and said "Go, go ahead."

Once in his office, he was about to call the ONLY detective he thought would look into this with the idea of finding the truth, when he sat back, decided to wait, just in case his tip was wrong, just in case this had been someone's idea of a joke.

Across town, Jason Morgan could hear his wife and his mother talking about the baby as he stared across the harbor. His life was all he had ever dreamed off. He was close to his family, he had finally, finally gotten Carly and Sonny to respect his wishes and he had a baby on its way.

A baby... like Jake. His one regret in all of this, the amount of pain that Elizabeth Webber had gone through, the amount of pain, he had caused her while finding and clawing and fighting his way to the perfect life.

She was the one person he regretted hurting, his only regret... but turning around, seeing a happy Sam, hearing Monica and her talking about whether it would be a girl or a boy and he thought to himself smiling a bit, he was hoping for a little girl, after all he had already had a boy-"

Inside, Monica and even Sam were growing bored by now planning the life of a baby that still had several months left before it would be born. Monica looked at Sam and almost warned her that she had seen Jason speaking to Elizabeth Webber, that young woman, who was just like her Uncle Rick. Unable to let others be happy once they had walked away from them.

Sam heard the sound of Alice's voice as she led Edward in to the room, then turned around when she realized that Jason had been uncharacteristically quiet, even for him. Seeing him on the ground, she shouted, and rushed towards her beloved.

"Monica!" she cried out as she landed on the ground next to where Jason was laying face first onto the tile of the balcony. "Help!"

Shaking Jason, Sam was screaming when the older woman joined her and said "Sam, let go so that we can turn him over and Alice call 911.

Monica began to turn her son over when she felt the wetness from where she was protecting his head. "Tell them he is bleeding, from his ear."

As they got him turned over, Monica saw the death grimace, then reached up, her hand shaking as she searched desperately for a pulse. "Oh god, oh god."

Sam could only stare, shocked as the eyes of her mother in law met her then said in a dead tone. "No, no, not my Jason."

"Sam, I am so sorry, but he is dead." she responded then let his head rest onto the ground as she saw her daughter-in-law collapse.

Mac was in his office, when the call came in. "Sir, they need an ambulance at the Morgan penthouse, should we roll."

With a twist of his lips, he stared at Detective Dimestco, "By all means, lets head over there."

Once at the Towers, he saw Monica saying that Jason was dead, telling the medic it had to have been the result of his surgery as the man went to load him onto the gurney. "Wait, stop."

"Excuse me?" Monica bristled with indignation.

"Monica, sorry but if he is dead, he has to remain where he is until the medical examiner arrives." ordered Mac, wondering if she had given him some sort of drug, or if he would end up giving himself away because there was no damn way that Jason Morgan was being moved without supervision he trusted. "This just became a police investigation."

"There is no need for that..." she was protesting only for Mac to casually lift his phone and make the call. Meanwhile Sam was holding her stomach, shuddering and clearly beyond herself in grief.

"Yes, there is, until we know what killed him this is an open investigation." he said coolly.

"Mac, I know that you blamed Jason for Robin's death..."

"Stop right there, Monica, I am going by the book." he said and he would go rule by rule, page by page and when he proved that the call he had gotten earlier that evening was correct and that Jason Morgan had faked his death, he was going to throw the book at the lot of them.

Looking at Sam, he said to the paramedics, "You might want to take the woman out of here, she looks like she is about to collapse."

Sam threw herself on Jason's body, swearing she would never leave him, never abandon him until Monica helped the men give her a sedative. Shocked, Alice was leading Edward to the door, when Mac saw the ME getting off the back elevator.

"Sir, where is the body?" he was asked.

"Right there and don't put it in the bag, just yet." he said then waited until Monica had left the top floor in the company of Sam and the paramedics, clearly torn between staying with her son and helping the mother of his child.

Then looking at the lone detective with him, he said "Go find Corinthos, I want him at the station when I arrived."

"Sir?" Ronnie asked surprised.

"Just do what I tell you to do, I think that Corinthos finally snapped, that he might have had something to do with this." He really didn't, especially if Morgan was faking it, but he wanted the man gone so he could speak with the ME alone.

"I don't want you to touch the body." he said grimly. Seeing the mans surprise, he told him about the call. "Not because I don't trust you, I do. But there is something hinky about this and I made a call on the way over here."

Seeing Patrick entering the room, he said "Morgan is supposedly dead."

"So Robin gave her life for nothing." he said sadly then asked Mac why he was here.

"Because I think it was a lie, I think that Morgan faked his death. You are going to help me prove it. I want you to get the following. Fresh samples and anything you might have on computer. I want hard copies of these files too."

Patrick looked at the list and was shocked at what was on it. "Sir?"

"Look, just go, because Monica who was here, is either in on it or going to be blaming you for this. I need this done before she gets to you." he said.

Patrick rushed off to the hospital, saw Monica's rude attitude as she told the Webber siblings about Jason being dead, saw Elizabeth's body take the blow then her hug her brother before saying something back to Monica then nodding at Epiphany start to head out for the day.

"Where do you think you are going, if you leave, you will be suspended." warned Monica harshly. "You, you were nothing to him, a mistake."

"Believe what you want, Monica. You will anyhow, either way, I am going home and mourning the man I knew, the Jason he has become, well while I didn't wish him dead, was someone I wish I had never met." with that, Elizabeth kept her dignity until she got to the locker room, where her heart broke.

Back in the hallway, Steven glared at the middle aged woman then said "You know, you went too far this time. Someday, well my guess is that someday you end up regretting your hurting Elizabeth. My guess is the day you really learn who and what your son married."

With that, Steven went after his sister and found her making an appointment to spend a few hours working through her issues with her doctor. "Oh god, Steven. I feel so at sea."

"I know." he said and held her tight, wishing he could fix this, not getting why his sister was hurt again and again, why she was constantly bearing the blows of life's pain and agony.

Mac waited for the out of town ME's report two days later as Diane Miller stormed into his office along with Alexis Davis. "Mac, my daughter wants to get into her penthouse and your men are refusing to let her. We all know what happened here. Why are you trying to make it a murder."

Diane then asked "Why on earth did you have the AG freeze all Morgan's assets?"

"Until I know one way or another, we are doing this by the book, I have told you ladies and everyone else who seems to think that they deserve answers that exact same thing over the last forty eight hours. Now, if you don't stop bothering me I am going to have the both of you tossed into a jail cell for impeding a police investigation."

Across town, Carly was in stunned shock, still not believing this, still not processing the death even as Sonny made yet another call. "What do you mean you can't find the body? You work at the ME's office."

"Sir, like I have told you, Mr. Scorpio had it taken and looked at elsewhere." he said shivering in the cold of the morgue.

Sonny didn't like that, he didn't like that at all as he hung up and then with a grimaced called his eldest son who said "I told you, I am not a part of the case. I have no knowledge."

Mac had just gotten rid of the loud women when the middle-aged man wearing street clothes entered his office and sat down. "Well at least I can verify it was murder and that the man on my table is dead and died within the time frame."

"What do you mean." he asked then was handed a specimen jar. Lifting it, he said in shock. "Wait, this is a bullet from a rifle."

Pulling down his book on weapons, Mac read what type of gun and said "What the fuck did I stumble onto?"

"I don't know, but here are the results, all labeled and from all the various labs you had me send them to." he said throwing down a pile of work. "One interesting thing, well two, Las Vegas and Miami, are both interested in this. When you get your stuff sorted out, I would give them a call if they don't show up here."

Mac saw the results, went through them laboriously, locking his door to keep everyone out and said what the heck. Calling the man back, he said "I need you to run some more tests."

With that, he made a few more calls and Patrick went to do as requested and so did Mac's spy. An hour later, he was being called on his cell phone by Edward Quartermaine's attorney. He could guess what that was about and he was NOT releasing the body.

The old man, Monica and others had already been demanding he let them bury Jason, too bad, Mac was just pissed and suspicious enough to not let that happen, even after finding out there really was a dead body in a nearby morgue.

Early the next morning, Mac who had gone home to bed, checked with his man and was given the news. Taking the files, he felt regret at part of who would be hurt but began to gather his suspects and tried to figure out where to bring them.

Then with a slightly impish grin, made a call then sent out the notes ordering people to come to his old club The Outback just as his daughter began to bang on his door, demanding he fix this.

"Fix what Maxie?" he inquired.

Maxie saw the look in his eyes, then backed down. She hadn't seen that look in Mac's eyes in a very long time as he snarled at her. "I want you at the old Outback, today at three PM. Along with your little group of friends."

Mac went to deliver the invitation in person to three people and then went to make some arrangements for all sharp instruments to be removed, this was about to get VERY, VERY UGLY. His only question was going to be who would throw the first punch.

Chapter Two.

Monica was pissed when she saw Steven and Elizabeth Webber sitting with Patrick Drake whose botched surgery had killed her son. Glaring at them from across the room, seeing the police officers standing near them, she almost hoped that Mac had plans to arrest the trio.

She was sure that they were glad Jason was dead as she listened to Sam's sobs at seeing Elizabeth and Patrick there. "There, there, it will be okay."

"It will never be okay, I want Jason back. I want my Jason back." Mac who was eavesdropping suddenly wondered if he had been wrong, if maybe someone had known that there was something wrong with things.

Seeing the Corinthos contingent arrive, along with some of the Spencers, he nodded at the undercover state troopers playing waiters just as Alexis came in with Diane and they sat at the assigned table to them.

Seeing Anna entering, seeing her hug the grieving widow, made his teeth ache but he kept his face set, Mac finally saw the last person arrive and with a young woman.

"Michael, who is your friend?" Then saw it was the young woman who had lost her family in a car accident recently. "I am not sure this is appropriate."

"Its fine, she wants to be here to support me." he said with a shrug then took a seat with her at the only open table.

Shaking his head, Mac said "Monica, we ran a full body scan, this is Dr. Sid Hammerback, he I believe went to med school with you."

"Sid, why are you here?" she asked stiffening a bit, Sid was someone who knew her in her wild younger days she hadn't ran into anyone like that in years.

"I was asked by the Port Charles police department to run an autopsy on patient number 1548759 aka Jason Morgan. He said that there were some issues and he wanted an outside team brought in."

"You, you did my son's autopsy." she said feeling a sense of relief since she had read his name in medical journals and knew he was very well respected in his field and worked for the NYPD.

"As to that." he shrugged. "All I can say is that I did the autopsy on 1548759. The name I was given was Jason Morgan."

Hearing the murmurs, growing, he looked at his boss then at Mac Scorpio before saying. "I have DVD of this, for anyone skeptical of my findings. First of all the DB was in bad shape, he had I only found out afterwords had brain surgery. That however wasn't what killed him."

"What did kill my son?" Monica asked while Sam sat there, almost numb, almost not caring.

"A bullet, Monica." he said bluntly. "From a rifle."

"That isn't possible." stated Sonny almost in shock. "There are no sight lines, none."

"Actually, sir that is incorrect." stood Mac from New York City. "My name is Mac Taylor, I am in charge of the New York City Police Department forensics lab. Mr. Falconari and Mr. Demestco can verify that."

Dante nodded at his father then listened as Mac Taylor continued. "While investigating my people found the sight line used. Thanks to the bullet recovered from the body we have since learned what type of gun was used."

Walking over to the box on the stage, Mac pulled out a specialized long range rifle gun. "This is a Remington, MC-127. It is a Marine Corp sniper rifle. There are ten in the entire world. Nine are accounted for. One went missing in Iraq two years ago."

"Are you saying that one of those guns killed Jason?" asked Carly as she felt herself shiver as she looked at the sinister looking gun with the long barrel.

"I am saying that one of these was fired at the penthouse level of Harborview Towers taking out the man standing on the balcony." he said grimly. "Here is the thing. There are ten weapons, but very few people trained on them who could have made the shot."

"And all were accounted for." he said. "Now, I know of one other person who could have made this shot without the government training."

"Who, who killed my grandson?" asked Edward, feebly trying to stand.

"That is the problem, because Jason Morgan is the only other person I know of who could have made that shot." he said and silence hit the room as what he was saying settled in.

Mac Scorpio looked around then said "What I didn't tell Mac was that I did the same checking and came up with the same name. This led me to run several tests its why we are gathered here."

"I don't understand, are you trying to blame Jason, JASON for his own death. The incompetence..." Carly was on a roll when Mac Scorpio snarled for her to sit down and shut up.

"Excuse me?" she asked in disbelief.

Sighing, Mac said "Carly, I know you are upset, trust me. I do. But for once, listen, count to ten, do whatever you have to do to let me speak because this is only the beginning on this tangled mess."

Carly saw the pleading expression in Elizabeth Webber's face and for some reason, it resonated as she shut up and let Mac speak.

"My immediate thought was that someone was setting Morgan up and I had my officers looking around and unless they lied to me to cover others, the only menace we have running around right now is Helena Cassadine."

There were a few nods a few glares at Spencer if she had anything to do with this.

"So my next step was to verify that the man in the penthouse was Jason Morgan. I compared his DNA to the sample gathered from when he went to Pentonville as a convicted felon. By law they are required to give up a sample."

Seeing Sam looking at Diane, Mac waited until she had confirmed that he was correct then said "I can confirm with 99.99 perfect accuracy that this was the same man who went to jail but-"

When they started to talk, he held up his hand and to his surprise, Carly stood up and glared at those around the room. "The next step was to find out if he had any DNA tests ran at GH and with his medical issues, I figured that might have happened. Imagine to my surprise to find out that Mr and Mrs. Morgan had a DNA test ran on their upcoming bundle of joy. Interesting that."

Sam kept her mouth shut, just glaring at Mac. It was none of his business but felt joy when he said "And I can confirm that they match the man now lying in my morgue."

Elizabeth felt a twinge, but kept it under control.

"So now I had confirmations, but to be absolutely sure, I ran his DNA against every single known member of the Quartermaine family, Edward, Tracy, Ned, Dillon and Michael as well as against Alan and Jake Webber." he said looking sideways at Elizabeth.

He had been shocked at what he found but before he told what it was he added. "Now, I had to get permission from Steven for a sample for Susan Moore."

"Who?" asked Sam and Carly both looking surprised then Sam asked "And why would you ask Steven Webber anything.

Seeming surprised, Mac tossed out the news "Because he is Susan Moore's last living relative besides his biological mother, Heather. Anyhow, the sample was gathered and one from Steven. And Susan was Jason's biological mother."

"Why on earth would you need a sample from Elizabeth's brother?" Sam asked skeptically.

"Because Jason and Steven are second cousins on their mother's side." Sam sat back feeling stung at not knowing that while Spinelli frowned a bit as he watched from where he was sitting next to Maxie.

"As I said, I had the samples ran but not just here in Port Charles, I had them run at the top five labs around the country." he responded. Spinelli's frown grew, he had set it up for him to be notified if at anytime Jason's DNA was tested no matter where.

"What came back wasn't a shock." he said "In light of a call I had gotten earlier that evening and when I got it, I had every single sample reran by this man."

Turning to the man next to him, he said "I would like you to meet Dr. Abraham Yorkman. He is the foremost expert in DNA having helped create the protocol for testing DNA."

Dr. Yorkman stood in front of the group and said "First I reran the tests, just to be sure. First up, the sample regarding the baby Ms. McCall is carrying, it proves that the man who died is the baby's father, and he is also somehow related to the father of Mr. Michael Corinthos III."

"HOWEVER." he stressed the next part. "His sample shows him to NOT be related to the Quartermaine family, more specifically to Edward, Tracy, Ned, Dillon, Alan or the sample on record for Jake Webber at the hospital."

"What, are you saying that Elizabeth lied, that Jake wasn't Jason's son." shrieked Sam as Monica glared and began to plot revenge on the girl who had twisted her emotions so badly.

"That isn't what I am saying at all." he said then waited until they were calmed down. "See, the young man known as Jake was a Quartermaine. His sample matched the other base samples for the family, also the sample gathered from his mother and the sample gathers from Susan Moore as his biological grandmother."

There was some silence as no one quiet knew how take what he was saying. "And then there is the next part. The man who was shot didn't match the sample for Susan Moore. However Ms Moore does match the samples from his childhood, from his surgery and like I said was the grandmother of one Jake Webber."

"Wait, you are saying... that... Jason wasn't Jason." asked Monica. "How is that possible."

"We aren't sure. I have spoken to various people. Mr. X since I can't explain who the man lying down in the morgue is, matches the samples for the visit to Pentonville prison but he doesn't match the sample taken when Mr. Morgan went to Seattle for surgery on his hands in 2008."

Now you could hear a pin drop in the room. Then Dr. Yorkman said "I have been asking around, strangely enough, most of you noticed nothing different about Mr. Morgan during that time. One of you did, though they dismissed it. I have done some checking and it looks like between October 2008 and June 2010, Jason Morgan-."

"NO, YOU ARE WRONG, I CAN PROVE IT, I KNOW JASON BETTER THAN ANYONE, ANYONE. DO YOU HEAR ME." shouted Sam as she got herself worked up. She was so upset that Monica had to have her taken to the hospital but Mac told the doctor she needed to stay.

"Epiphany Johnson who is here in case anyone needed medical treatment along with Matt Hunter will take care of her." he said firmly while Alexis and Diane were beginning to realize the mess now unraveling if what Mac said was true.

Sam looked pitiful as she was lead out and placed in the waiting ambulance as Michael suddenly said "Wait, you said I am not a match for the Quartermaines."

"That is true, but since you are at least a partial match to the man in the morgue, plus..." Dr Hammerback saw him looking his way and stood to announce what he had to.

"We ran a test on the body in the crypt known as AJ Quartermaine, he isn't a match to anyone but somehow, you are a match to our Mr. X."

"Wait, but AJ didn't match the rest of the family?" asked Monica stunned.

"No, the man lying in that crypt isn't your son." said Mac who then continued with the body blows as he said "Monica, I don't know if he faked his death, or how Michael isn't related to you, but that is the truth. I went back and gave Dr. Yorkman the samples we had on record for the DNA tests back during the custody battle between Jason and AJ."

Monica's head was whirling, while Edward seemed to grow stronger as Tracy and he looked at one another then at Monica. "The sample matches that Michael is his son, but doesn't match the Quartermaines or the body in the crypt."

"Who is he then?"

Monica was protesting, saying they were wrong that yes, there were questions but tests had proven Alan was AJ's dad. Steven couldn't resist mentioning his Uncle Rick but Mac said Michael wasn't related to the Webbers either so that was ruled out. "Monica, how is it possible that you didn't know either of your sons were who they were supposed to be."

Monica now felt foolish and was going to speak when Mac Taylor said "Enough. Scorpio, do you need us for anything else?"

"Yes, just quickly, what did your computer forensic's guy find." he said looking at the man sitting next to Mac.

Adam was uncomfortable as he stood but then he told them. "There are no large withdrawals unaccounted for from the Morgan account other

than the ones that Sam McCall made in March of 2011."

"And did you manage to fulfill my request?" asked Mac Scorpio.

"All Morgan accounts, every single one of them are shut down until you locate the real Jason Morgan." he verified and then added. "Plus they have all been taken offline per your request to keep anyone from accessing them illegally by computer."

Mac thanked the out of town CSI team then when the left looked around the room and at the uneasy faces in it. "I have no idea why or when Jason Morgan went missing. Clearly the man who has been living in his penthouse, went to a great deal of trouble to become him. Patrick and I looked at his x-ray, at every single test ran on him and we have more questions than answers thank to the convenience of the hospital fire in 2009."

Monica was about to blame Elizabeth when it hit her, that if Jason wasn't her son Jason, that Sam wasn't having her grandson and felt the loss of Jake yet again. Soon sobbing, she was took out of the room by Alice as Tracy and Edward followed.

Sonny who had begun to realize that he had trusted intimate secrets to someone who wasn't Jason, that there were more questions he needed answers to, he soon led his contingent out of the bar while Mac asked Elizabeth and Steven to stay behind.

"I want to stay too." announced a stubborn Carly who was told she was welcome by Mac who then told her but that she had to keep her mouth shut.

"Elizabeth, I hate to intrude in your personal business, but I have talked to all the others who were close to Jason at this time except you." he said as gently as possible. "I need you to tell me of each contact you had with Jason from say the moment that you ended your engagement."

"What? How did you know?" she asked stunned to hear Mac referring to something she thought only Jason and she knew about. She had never even told Steven about it.

"There is a nurse at Seattle General, she spoke to him while he was recovering. He mentioned wanting to get married to a girl he had almost lost repeatedly over the years and that he was not going to let it happen again. The description, it fits you from the nursing down to the beautiful blue eyes." Mac said while Carly reeled from the idea that Jason and Liz had been engaged.

Elizabeth filled him in on everything except details of their lovemaking. "So, let me get this straight, Spencer and Sam were investigating the Russians, and you and Jason were told that they saw the two of you and that that was the reason they kidnapped Jake?"

Seeing Mac frowning, Carly asked "What?"

"Does that make any sense? To me it doesn't. To me it makes more sense if they were watching Lucky and Sam. Also you said you shot this man, why doesn't that appear in any of the reports."

"I don't understand." asked Elizabeth, herself confused.

"Elizabeth, all the reports I read said Sam shot them but it never made sense forensically." said Mac. "Knowing you did it, it does."

Giving him the rest of the story up to the no contact rule, she saw Carly start to frown then look at her. Suddenly the blond stood and said "Elizabeth, we need to talk but right now, I have to do something."

Mac nodded at the officer who was following the blond, they were keeping a close eye on all the Corinthos and Spencers, someone had to have helped Morgan if Mac was wrong in what he believed.

Elizabeth was rolling her eyes at the idea of talking to Carly when Mac said "We need to go to my office."

Leading them up there, he said "The room is soundproof. Now that Carly is gone, there is something else and you might want to sit down for it."

Grabbing the bottle he had put up there earlier, he placed a sniffer in front of Elizabeth filled with brandy. "Elizabeth, when we ran the DNA testing earlier, after an irregularity, we ran tests on all your sons."

"Mac?" asked Steven confused.

"There is no easy way to say it and I swear the only ones who know are the three of us and Dr. Yorkman. Elizabeth, Cam's DNA was what it should be. With a match to Zander and you. I am sorry but Aidan's

isn't a match to what it should be."

"What? But Mac, I ran the tests twice. Are you now saying that Nik is the father of Aidan?" she asked astounded then thinking on it, said "Oh my god, I was reading that when Jake..."

Reading for her hands, Mac said "Elizabeth, please, I need you to hold it together."

Pressing the drink into her hands he said "You see, I lied down there, we have proof that the fake Jason Morgan was in town much sooner than I told him. We have a sample from when he was shot in Mexico, that proves that Mr. X was there BUT something else proves something different and I am sorry for what I did."

"What did you do?" she asked then felt a bit odd.

"Elizabeth, I gave you a hypnotic drug." he said then nodded at the doctor in the doorway. Seeing Steven's furious expression, he said "Trust me."

Fuming then shocked Steven sank into the eighties fashionable chair and listened to the man skillfully question his sister. Forty minutes later, when she woke up, Elizabeth remembered what he had asked her and her responses as she said "Well damn, that opens a huge can of worms doesn't it."

"More than that." said Mac nodding at Ewan to sit down as well. "Elizabeth, I had Jake exhumed and the boy in the grave, he isn't your son."

"No, that isn't possible." she protested instinctively.

"You gave birth to a son whose parents are yourself and Jason Morgan, but the boy buried in his grave, isn't your son." he said as bluntly as possible.

"I need you to tell me, what did Sam McCall do to your son. And don't lie, I had a talk with Amelia Joffey, I get why you went off the rails then. I think you would have had a good case for justifiable homicide if you had killed the man you thought was Morgan for getting involved with her."

Elizabeth's hands were shaking as in a monotone she told him what happened when Jake was kidnapped, when the two men approached them with guns. "Jason said he had handled, it and until our son was kidnapped again, I thought he had."

"I won't ask why you didn't press charges, I can figure it out." Mac said "Why would you go back to Spencer after all he let her around them."

"Mac..." Elizabeth took a deep breath, looked at Ewan and faced her demons. "It all goes back to my rape and what Lucky did and didn't do. I hate to say it but I am glad he isn't Aidan's father. I can now cut the ties between us. For good."

"Elizabeth, with the way the Quartermaines are acting and your recent past, I would let it ride, until we find out the truth about who was playing Morgan, where Jason Morgan is and most importantly what was Sam McCall's part in this mess." Mac said bluntly. "In truth, I would almost send you out of town, if you don't mind."

"Mac, the Quartermaines have lost a lot over the last few years." she said feeling like she was making yet another mistake.

"Let me be blunt, Elizabeth, you spent time in a mental institution even if it is through no fault of your own, have lost your job repeatedly and have made some very bad choices, Monica is going to be out for blood and would be ruthless trying to get your child away from you." he stated as harshly as he could.

Steven, Ewan and Mac saw the moment it all sunk in. "Oh my god."

"Yes, for now, until we find out the truth, for your children's sake keep your mouth shut." he said. Seeing her pull back, then start to say Lucky deserved the truth, he said "No, he doesn't and you know it. Lucky has spent the last few years vilifying you, playing the injured party, well suck it up and face that he is a manipulative asshole."

Elizabeth laughed then said "Okay, Okay. I can't believe it, Ewan, you said we weren't done working on my mind. I guess you are right."

"Elizabeth, you need to stop being a people pleaser." said Ewan while her brother thought about something.

"Mac, where do you think my nephew is?" he asked and saw the moment it hit Elizabeth that there was a chance her son was alive.

"I don't know but I know that I damn sure intend to find out." he vowed then said he had to get going. All of them left, then Ewan went to the hospital where he watched the drama of Sam McCall playing out.

"Alexis, you have to do something." she was shrieking as she tossed the papers at her mother. "I am Samantha Morgan, Mrs. Jason Morgan."

Alexis had her doubts, seriously had her doubts about that as she turned to look at Diane who handed her the paperwork she had gotten from Mac. "Are they sure?"

"Yes and for now, I have to obey the rules. You can explain it to your daughter, maybe the Quartermaines will let her stay with them." she said with a heavy sigh as she went home making plans to talk to the women herself first thing the next morning.

TBC 


	2. Chapter 2

Sorry ladies, ended up way across the low countries.

Chapter Three

Arriving with a cup of coffee, Diane saw the blond woman looked very pale as she looked at Patrick Drake who was rubbing his eyes red from exhaustion. "Like I told you Monica, after the fire, Jason's records were missing along with several others. I have no way of knowing one way or another."

Diane said "We have another issue, Monica, I am shutting you down from looking into this. Patrick, Mac is to be given a copy of the files but no one else but me. The hospital is to keep no copies. Monica, since the last date they are sure Jason was Jason, his will has been changed. As a result, we have to go back to the last will where he was verified as himself. Alexis is explaining this to Sam right now."

"What do you mean?"

"Just that if Jason wasn't Jason, Sam McCall isn't his wife." she said bluntly. "Sam can't authorize anything, can't spend a single dime of his money and doesn't share his POA with Carly anymore."

"So Carly is in charge?" she asked not sure what to think of that.

"No." she said then closing her eyes said "Elizabeth Webber is."

"But Jake is dead. She shouldn't be in charge of anything." fumed Monica.

"Monica, Jason has off and on since 1999 listed Elizabeth Webber as his POA. Other than when he was married to Courtney and she was married to Ric Lansing. He didn't remember it when he had surgery last time and his attorney at the time informed me that Sam McCall somehow illegally overrode that when he had his operation in 2005."

"Alan signed for his surgery." she snapped.

"Yes I know, but he wasn't authorized." snapped back Diane. "Look, you seem to be unaware of this but your son was very close to Ms. Webber for years, was in fact in love with her for several years and if someone else close to the situation is right some part of his has been in love with her for years."

"You are wrong, I saw Jason with Sam, he has loved her..."

"Diane." Carly entered the room and sat down, patting Patrick awkwardly on the arm then looked at Monica. "Monica, I know why you are doing this this way. You think Elizabeth kept you from your grandson, that she is another me. But she isn't. There are things I know that you don't and since that man in the morgue isn't Jason, you might want to really think about it because I promise you, when the real Jason comes home and finds out how you are treating Elizabeth... well it will make the cold war back when you first found out about AJ being Michael's dad seem like a garden party."

With that, Carly stood and said "I am just warning you, you are backing the wrong horse. Diane, when you get a moment, Michael has some questions about his own parentage and would like to get your help."

With that Carly left only to go home and find a note from Johnny that made her laugh in annoyance then sigh as she truly felt her age. What the hell was she doing with her life? She had had a chance with Jax, had thrown it away for what?

Looking around her house, then at the pictures on her mantle, she knew she had to go see someone that hated her guts, someone who rightfully hated her. Almost taking Joss with her, to manipulate the situation, Carly's hands were shaking as she walked away realizing she couldn't do that, couldn't play around not anymore.

When Carly arrived at Elizabeth's house it was in a state of confusion as she dealt with Cam arriving home from school, Aidan was crawling around and Steven Webber was speaking to someone on the phone in a rather loud voice.

Hanging up the blond man scowled at her then said "Elizabeth, sorry about that."

"What did they want again?" she asked.

"I am not sure." he said annoyed. "Some hospital in Quebec City, Canada. They found my card in a tramps hand who was found wandering around the city. He has been ill and just recently woke up."

"Why can't they send you a picture of him?" she asked. "Don't they just want to identify him?"

"They sent one, but I can't see the face clearly." he said annoyed then said "They said he was in bad shape, but won't give me any other details."

"Steven, why don't I drive up with you." she said. "We can take the boys, spend a few days there. That way we are out of town until the dust settles here and I don't have to put up with any more visits from the family Davis."

Groaning, Carly said "I heard, Diane told me."

Suddenly looking at Carly Elizabeth asked "Why aren't you doing a freak out, come to think of it?"

"You don't want to know." she said rubbing her face then saying. "Steven, I come in peace, can you please go. I need to talk to Elizabeth, and this isn't a discussion I want to have with you here."

"Carly if you so much as upset my sister, I swear I will hunt you down and kill you." he snarled. "She has been through enough."

Elizabeth watched as Steven left unaware that her son was now sitting on the stairs out of sight as he eavesdropped.

Carly looked at Elizabeth, felt the bubble of anger she had had for so many year grow then fade as she admitted. "I always hated that I knew you were the one. Not because I wanted him like that, but because I didn't want to lose him in my life. You can say all you want that it wouldn't have change things, but it would have. He loved you, body and soul. Or does love you. I guess."

With that, Carly looked at the silent woman and said "I did something I shouldn't have. I knew that Mac was placating me, so I left, or at least made it look like I did."

Stiffening, Elizabeth was about to say something when Carly astonished. "Why the hell didn't you cut Lucky's balls of when he stayed with that whore after she was involved with Jake's kidnapping, with those two men in the park."

"That would take too long to explain." she said then gave her the short version. "So after my rape, well he knew the buttons to push. Carly, one thing I have always respected about Sonny, to him Michael is equal to Dante, equal to Morgan. There is no difference."

"And for Lucky, he has always treated Cam like a second class citizen." she said getting what Elizabeth was thinking. "Unless it benefited him."

"Yes, and to my shame I thought at least he had been some kind of a father." she said wiping her tears. "What I did to my little boy, I can never fix."

"Hell yes you can. Keep that creep Lucky away from your kids." she said. "As for Jason, well my guess is that he went missing at the end of 2008. Want to know why?"

"Why?" she asked not really wanting to know.

"Because Jason, Jason Morgan has never cried on my shoulder about you in his life. He has always protected his love for you, deeply and fiercely and the fake Jason cried on my shoulder after Jake was kidnapped again. Another thing that is Lucky's fault." she said fuming.

Seeing Elizabeth didn't believe her, Carly said "That besides my fear of you, is why I hated you with him. With any other relationship, I could get details out of him. Not about you."

Cam was on the stairs, in shock as the loud woman seemed to be speaking on friendly terms with his mommy. And her words were confusing to him until he heard what his mommy said and got that he had been wrong. Mommy hadn't sent Lucky away, Lucky had left because he was being mean to his mommy.

"Carly..."

"No, no, I was wrong." she said then confessed. "I slept with Shawn a few weeks ago, then tried to get Johnny into bed to protect Michael. Oh, we had sex, but I saw his face, he is reeling out of his own issues. He just learned that Claudia was his mother."

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked.

"Because I ran around town, saying what I did a few years ago, but learning about what Sam did, what it appeared Jason was doing. I would have been reeling too, Elizabeth. I spent so much time hating you for Jake, but hearing about that... I get it, I truly get it." she said tearfully.

They sat there silently both watching as Aidan played with his toys. "Where is Cam?"

"Upstairs, he has been mad at me since Lucky left." Elizabeth confessed sadly.

"Blaming you, Lucky was good at making others think you were to blame." she said. "I fell for it, hook line and sinker but then I wanted to. Elizabeth, about Jake... I want to help. Not that I have any idea how to start but one thing did occur to me. Whose kidney is in my daughter and will finding out the answer to that help."

Elizabeth felt as if she had a goal but said "Mac is afraid I will spill the secret, he wants me to leave town, to leave this to him."

"You know, before yesterday, I wouldn't have trusted Mac to do this, but look what he figured out already." said Carly. "Where are you going?"

"I am not sure if I should leave. Cam has school." she explained.

"Easter vacation starts in a week." Carly reminded her then said with a wicked grin. "How do you think Cam would feel about a trip to the happiest place on earth. On me, we take the four kids, since I doubt Michael would want to go."

"Carly I can't let you..."

"Oh hell yes you can. I have spent the last several months watching Monica Quartermaine kiss that worthless piece of trash's ass. Can you believe that I was one of the few who knew he had to be told about Robin, that they kept me from doing so." she said.

"I was suspended, I had no idea at the time Jason didn't know." she told her.

"Yeah, what is up with that. You get suspended for something that wouldn't have happened if Maxie Jones' rear should have been tossed under the jail for what she had done a few years earlier. Monica is a hypocritical bitch." said Carly. "Look, I need to get away, before I do something stupid. I lost Jax and have been reeling every single moment sense."

Then she said "Plus..."

Then with a loud swallow she said "Plus, if AJ wasn't AJ, who the hell did I sleep with and who is the father of my son."

"Oh god, I never thought about that." said Elizabeth as she saw Carly began to cry.

"I have no idea, none." she said the tears still falling. "I talked to Sonny last night, Diane and he are looking into things but I have no answers, nothing to help my son with finding out the truth."

"What about Spinelli?" she asked. "Can't he help Michael?"

"In all honesty Sonny doesn't want his help. Elizabeth, Spinelli and Sam were pretty much with Jason twenty four hours a day. Or at least with Mr. X. I can look back and see that things were off but I put it down to his losing you, to losing Jake." Carly said.

"I didn't say it out loud, but I thought well Sam will help him recover. And he seemed to, but now, knowing the whole story the one thing I am damn sure of, Jason Morgan would never take a woman like her back."

Carly saw Aidan and said "You know, it is there, his resemblance, its not as prominent, but it is there. I have to ask, the argument at the safe house, how did you keep from Bobbitting him like you should have Lucky."

"I don't really want to talk about it." Elizabeth said groaning. "I mean, do you realize what that means about what I did that month."

"Well the old me would have called you names, I am just going to say you got your groove on." said Carly as she said sadly. "I feel old, for the first time in my life, I feel old."

Seeing Elizabeth's tears, she said "You get what I mean, don't you."

Elizabeth thought about it. "I have spent the last few years, wondering if it was all my imagination, if he ever loved me, ever loved Jake. He was talking about adopting Cam if Cam would let him. Then it was just over then she was constantly around. I just didn't know what to think."

Elizabeth saw Carly out after agreeing to speak to Cam about the trip. She was not sure if this detente would last, but clearly something had changed in Carly Benson Corinthos, Corinthos, Corinthos Alcazar, Corinthos, Corinthos, Jacks.

After dinner and a few calls from the Quartermaine family that pissed her off, Elizabeth had a call from Diane explaining what it was about. "And if I refuse."

"Elizabeth, this isn't something you can refuse." she said getting annoyed with people when Alexis entered the office and mouthed who are you talking to. Ignoring her, she said "We need to speak as soon as possible."

That was the last straw for Elizabeth, after the calls the visits from the Spencers that had her gritting her teeth. "Who says I can't refuse. Look, someone is at my door."

Opening it, she was pissed when Sam pushed her way in. "You are going to fix this or my mother is going to press perjury charges against you."

Elizabeth who had seen the car pulling up in her drive couldn't resist saying. "Blackmail by the former DA, bad form there Sam. And I just found out from Diane."

Mac hung outside the door, he had been following the supposed Mrs. Morgan and when she had dashed to the door and began knocking on it, he had gotten out of his car and followed.

"I don't give a damn. If you don't give me Jason's power of attorney. I will make your life a living hell. We both know that the tests were wrong. Jason loves me, he has always loved me. You, were a mistake along with that brat that should have never been born."

Mac was about to enter when he heard Cam Webber telling Sam to get out of their house and to stop yelling at his mommy. "You are the mean woman who used to kiss all over Jake and say he would be calling you Mommy some day. Get out, get out of our house."

"Well well if it isn't your other bastard." Sam said.

Elizabeth hugged Cam's shaking shoulders and said "You know I won't force you to leave because you are pregnant but you call my children any of my children names again and I will send you to jail."

"With what? What happened in the park, what happened to Jake? Good luck all the proof disappeared. Jason had Spinelli make it go away, that is how much he loved me." she said smugly. "And it is your word against mine and the whole world knows you were locked in a mental institution and are jealous that Jason preferred me to you and that brat you tried to trap him with."

"Sam, we both know that your moments of weaknesses were just that, for once, just between the two of us, admit it. You knew what that woman did to my son, that you hired those men." she tossed out there hoping Sam took the bait.

"Why not, after all you didn't have time to tape me and I know that you can't use it in court. I knew when she grabbed Jake in the park, where she was going. I just wanted that brat gone. I wanted you to pay for daring to take away what belonged to me."

"And the park?" she added.

"You, you were such a fool, shaking in fear. Not at all like the woman who should be with Jason Morgan. Jason Morgan's woman shouldn't be cowering, she should be shooting her way out, but I knew when I hired them, you would do nothing but stand there and beg. I mean, you allowed yourself to be raped."

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"Lucky told me ALL about it, back when he was still married to you." she said scoffing. "Anyhow, I knew I could show up, afterwords, insure that Jason and you didn't do anything stupid. And it worked. You ran like the coward you are instead of taking them on."

"Sam, my sons were with me." she said wishing Cam wasn't hearing this but afraid to let him go, he was angry and she was afraid he might push Sam. "I would never ever endanger my kids. Jason would never have wanted me to. You know, I heard what supposedly happened in Hawaii with this Franco guy. For a woman who said she was attacked there, you certainly have no problem throwing it in my face. Makes me wonder if it was even true or just another Sam con."

"Fuck you." she spat out only to hear something. Turning, she saw Mac standing there and said "What do you want?"

"Sam, I have been here since the moment you arrived. Unfortunately the statue of limitations are passed on the first incident, but the second, I will be looking into and we will be speaking."

With that, he said "Now, I suggest you leave before Ms Webber has me arrest you for trespassing."

Sam tossed her hair back then said "Elizabeth, you better fix that paperwork, or I will make you so miserable."

"Sam, get out of my house." When she was gone, Elizabeth sat down with Cam and talked to him about all that had gone on. "Are you okay."

"No. Mommy where is this happiest place on earth that the loud woman was talking about. Because I want to go there, I want to get away from everyone here."

"Cam, they will still be there when we get back." she said gently. "Running away doesn't solve anything."

"Please Mommy?" he asked and Elizabeth saw the pain in his eyes and with a hug went to pick up his brother and get them ready for bed as she really thought about it then told Cam yes, she would tell Carly they were going.

"Thanks Mommy. I love you. You are the best." he said then added "I am sorry I was such a brat."

"You were, but you are my brat, so I kind a understand." said giving him a fierce hug.

Down in the living room, walking over to the picture of Jake, she lifted it and then called Mac "Sir, what did you find out?"

"May I call you back in the morning." he asked without saying who it was "I have a few answers that might surprise you."

"Okay." she said then hanging up and feeling stymied called Carly who said she would take care of everything then after hanging up asked Michael how he was doing with the news.

"Its just, how is this possible. That my biological father is the same man who is the father of Sam's baby." he asked. "I do get why Mac didn't tell me last night, I mean it was there if anyone was paying attention but I missed it until he was talking to me today."

Michael sat for a few minutes then said "My dad, my real dad went to jail for me Mom."

Carly hadn't thought of that. Her mind had been reeling from the news that Michael had found out. "I hadn't thought about it."

"Its odd because I thought it was Uncle Jason... yet it wasn't." he said not sure what to think. "Now he is dead and I don't know what to feel, I mean, should I be upset, should I be sad. All I am is confused."

"I think everyone is Michael." she said her mind on the man, who had ruined the real Jason's life but had apparently done so to protect his own child.

"No Sam, she is convinced that this is something that freak Franco did." he said only for Carly to have a thought. "Mom, where are you?"

Gathering her thoughts, Carly said "Right here, Michael, we are getting away for a few weeks next Friday, do you want to go?"

"No, I am helping this girl, Starr. She uh, her life is pretty screwed up and helping her is helping me get past everything going on." he said.

When her son had left, Carly went to find every single thing she could that reminded her off Franco, maybe the answers laid in finding out about him.

Chapter Four

Steven was not happy, he had driven straight through the night after a talk with his sister to Quebec City only to arrive at the hospital and be told the patient had left the night before.

"Did you ever get a photo?" he asked only to be told just the one he had already seen. Seeing the pile of clothes that the man had once had, gave Steven no more answers as he looked at the jeans, the white t-shirt, the boots and the winter coat. "This was all he had?"

"Yes, other than this." she said showing him the card with the name of his employer in Memphis but his Port Charles phone number and the hospital number on it. "Mr. Smith has been a patient for a few years now."

"What?" he asked. "What was wrong with him?"

"He was brought in with hypothermia, had a gash on his head and several infections in various cuts on his body. He was confused and delirious." said the woman. "He did know he was American. So when we found your card recently at the bottom of the bag in which we kept his clothes, we called you immediately hoping you might have been his regular doctor."

"May I ask, why did he leave?" he asked.

"I have no idea. He woke up feeling weak and refusing to talk about a day and a half ago after Mr. Spencer came to look at him."

"Wait, who and describe the man to me." requested Steven.

"A Mr. Nikolas Spencer, he was about fifty, spoke with a french fluently with a slightly different accent. Handsome in his own way. He was certain that Mr. Smith was his missing brother in law."

"Do you have security cameras?" asked Steven who was brought down to the security office. Once there, he looked at the man then called Mac Scorpio. "Mac, I was called to Quebec because of an injured man with my card in his pocket. I am sending you a photo, could you please tell me who it is."

Mac looked then swore as he said "That is Jerry Jacks."

"What the hell is going on here. This patient was able to avoid cameras as he left the hospital. I have no idea who he is but the name he used was Nicolas Spencer."

"What the hell is going on?" asked Mac not needing another mess. "What are you doing?"

"I am coming home, I am bringing Mr. Smith's stuff with me, who knows we might get an answer from the clothes." he said. "Other than that, I have bigger issues to deal with."

Mac happened to agree and when Steven arrived back after spending the night at a hotel just on this side of the US-Canada border, he gave the bag of clothes, the coat and the card to Dante. "I don't know how much help it will be. They said the nurses washed Mr. Smith's cloths so he would have something to wear."

"Wait, if he is gone and left these behind what did he wear out of the hospital." asked Dante.

"My guess, would be scrubs, which is why they couldn't find him on the tapes." Steven said then told the detective to keep him up to date as he went to the hospital.

Mac meanwhile was at the Quartermaine house, having gone yet another round with that family regarding Elizabeth and the POA. He was close to wanting to tell them about Sam but after a visit from Carly during which he had let her know if she EVER eavesdropped on police business again he would arrest her, had to agree that she was right.

The Quartermaines knew the truth, they just refused to believe it because if they faced that Sam wasn't who they wanted her to be, they had completely lost Jason.

Carly had gone to Alexis, wanting to at least warn the lawyer who had sat there, in denial until she just looked at the blond and started to say she was lying. "Carly, I can't walk away, she is my daughter, my pregnant daughter."

"Alexis, you are a fool. What do you think is going to happen when the real Jason returns? Have you thought about that? With what Sam did, what she is going to do."

Carly left and went to see Sonny. Asking him if he had known, he had reluctantly admitted having heard about it. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"I was thinking, I was glad that Elizabeth was gone." he said with a heavy sigh. "You think I don't realize I screwed up? I do."

"What gets me is who was this man." she said. "He knew a hell of a lot about it, how to play us, how to takeover Jason's life. How did he know."

"He was pretending to be AJ first." Sonny pointed out. "I am sure he knew a lot from then. I will say one good thing, he at least knew not to mess with Elizabeth."

"Jason would have killed him." she said. "I wonder..."

"What?" he asked.

"I wonder if he knew that." she said. "If that is why Sam? I mean he had to know at least part of what Sam did, but since Jake wasn't his son. So he didn't have a problem with what she did."

"Carly, you know... when he finds out about Jake. What was done by us, about how we treated the mother of his child, he won't come back." he said contemplatively.

"We don't deserve him." she said. "I screwed up, I was a fool."

"I have men on Elizabeth, I don't trust Sam." he said. "I know you have been over there."

"Sonny, when we sat in that bar the other night, everyone else was thinking about how Jason's loss impacted them, Elizabeth was the only one worried about anyone else." she said. "I saw it in her eyes. I just... I let go of my displaced, unreasonable dislike."

"Its too late for me. I accept that." he said then standing went to get a bottle of water. "Michael was here today. He told me about his confusion about his father, about the fact that the child Sam is carrying is his brother."

"Oh god, I never thought about that." she said groaning. "Damn, she is going to stick to him like glue when she figures out she has no money."

Elizabeth was at Kelly's when she saw the headlines from the day before. Reading all about it, including her son's death, she barely held it together after a run in with Lulu that made her want to slap the blond.

Luckily Dante had shown up and Lulu had changed her tune quickly, not wanting her husband to see her true nature. Elizabeth was on the way to her studio when she had to go there... had to go to the safe house.

Entering, she went up the stairs, stood there, staring at the bed, her mind on what she had learned, what she knew she would have to tell people eventually and realized that she had lost herself only after that night here.

Jason and she had argued, he had acted like he hadn't understood what she was so angry about. Had denied being around Sam, now to know that more than likely he hadn't been around Sam, hadn't known what was going on. Then there was the question of where had he been? When had he gone and god, how was she going to explain first of all how she had let their son be hit by a car.

How she had let Luke Spencer off because of her own guilt, how she had never figured out that their son was still alive. Hearing her phone ring, she answered it and heard... nothing.

Hanging up, she was annoyed when it rang again and she looked at the caller ID and saw it was a blocked number.

Silence again... "Look whoever this is, stop it." she said then hung up.

When her phone rang again, she said "Stop this. Sam if this you, grow up."

"Elizabeth?" Hearing her brother's voice, she winced then apologized.

"I am sorry, someone is prank calling me." she said annoyed. "Where are you?"

"That is my question for you." he said then getting the answer said "Stay there, I have to talk to you."

Arriving he sat her down then said "Jerry Jacks claiming to be Nicolas Spencer showed up at the hospital the night before Mr. Smith woke up, saying he thought it was his brother. Mr. Smith woke up and fled."

"Who is he?" she asked.

"I don't know but the description doesn't ring any bells." said Steven.

"What do you think about Carly's offer?" she asked.

"I don't know, I mean I hope she is changing, but this is Carly." he said.

"Cam wants to go and after that visit from Sam, I think it will be a good thing that we get out of town." she said.

"Elizabeth, what about Jake?" he asked. "I know you, what aren't you telling me? You would never be this calm about your son being gone."

Looking around, she said "I did something you won't approve of. I went to someone I trust, someone no one in Port Charles knows is alive. When you went to Quebec, he slipped into town, his primary job is to find Jake but he is going to be watching out Jason."

"Who?"

"A former guard of Sonny's." she said wincing but saw he didn't seem upset.

"Elizabeth if you truly trust this person, I won't fight you on this. I keep thinking how did I not know, I kept you away from him, but at the time he was a mess." he said shaking his head. "I screwed up, little sister."

"No, we all did. I just don't get who did this." she said. "Was it one of Jason's enemies or someone out to get me."

"What does your friend say?" he asked.

"He isn't sure." she said bleakly. "Its been a year, Steven. My little boy, I have tried not to think about it, tried not to picture what has been happening until I see him for myself. I can't allow myself to think about or I will fall to pieces."

Rubbing her back, Steven said "I want to help."

"You can't." she said. "He had a thought and has gone to check into it."

She didn't tell him, she was horrified at the thought he was right, because if he was, she was going to burn this town down because it meant that someone she had given up all for, had done the unthinkable to hurt her.

"I have to go to the hospital today, for a meeting with Diane." she said not wanting to go but knowing she had to. "Will you come with me?"

"Where are the boys?" he asked.

"Grams took them to Bobbie's, I hated letting them go, but Morgan was going to be there and Carly was right, it was better they spend time together, without the adults before we go to Florida." she said taking a leap of faith by trusting the blond.

Chapter Five

A shadow stood over a grave in the cemetery then made a vow as he walked away. He had been so sure that things would work out, now he wasn't sure how to fix his mistakes.

Thinking on what Jerry had said as he laid in that bed, almost at death's door. He was not sure what had happened in the last few years, but he was not liking what he had heard. Jake was dead at the hands of Luke Spencer, a Luke Spencer who had fled town and gotten away with it.

He had to see the file, had to read how his son had died, he knew he couldn't go to Elizabeth, she had to still be devastated. He knew her, he knew that she would have never let Luke get away with this, without there being a reason. His guess, she had felt responsible somehow.

He would make sure she knew she wasn't that she was the only woman he would ever want as the mother of his child. Sliding in through the side door, he went quickly to the correct floor, surprised to see his mother was back as chief of staff.

Before he could get there, he stopped, stunned to see a picture on the wall, Robin Scorpio Drake, with her date of death being almost two months earlier. "Oh my god, what happened?" he asked himself stunned at the news.

Hearing Monica's voice, he ducked into the supply closet, then heard Monica talking to Sam of all people. In stunned disbelief as he heard what they were saying it took everything in him not to walk out and blast them both. Even more so when he heard Diane coming down the hall, with Elizabeth.

"I see you didn't come alone." Monica said "I don't know why you are fighting this, after all, Jason didn't love you. He walked away from you because you were keeping his son away from him. I can guess why, let's see, you wouldn't let him see Jake if he wouldn't marry you."

"Monica, I am done defending myself to you. You don't know the whole story and what you do know, you got from Sam." she said evenly.

"Oh please, you are just jealous, the Quartermaines like me, they never liked you." taunted Sam completely obvious to the facts. "I am Mrs. Jason Morgan, no matter what game you are playing. Jason married me, Edward likes me so much he gave me Lila's wedding ring. You, heck Monica has told me all about you, about your family."

"Diane, I want you to turn my son's POA and will over to his wife. He died loving her, not this piece of trash who slept with two brothers, who didn't even know who the father of her children are." Jason was at the door when he heard the sound of someone getting slapped.

They were drawing quite a crowd as the chief of staff ranted against Elizabeth including several members of the Spencer/Davis/Corinthos clans and several members of the hospital staff. Monica was holding her cheek, stunned that Elizabeth had dared to attack her.

"Monica, you are one to talk. Do you remember being married to my dad? Do you remember sleeping with my uncle while married to him, while he was married to Leslie. Do you remember that AJ could have been Uncle Ricks, or sleeping with Ned, your sister in law's son?" Elizabeth asked while Monica turned white.

"You are fired." she snarled.

"Monica, you have no authority to fire me for saying that." she said. "I will be bringing this to the board, your unreasonable attacks, your accusing me of child abuse. I do have one question. You are mad at me about Jake, but let Jason get a pass why? I am not your child, he was or is. It was his responsibility to tell you."

"This, this woman right here is the reason we kept Jake's paternity a secret. So Sam, why don't you tell Monica all about Jake's first kidnapping, about how we were held up in the park by two men with gun and how you just conveniently happened to come along to "Save Us." she said.

"Why don't you tell your mother in law the truth about the Russians and how Jason's ride or die chick would have died if I hadn't shot one of the gun men since the ride or die chick couldn't fire straight."

"Don't attack Sam, she is pregnant." snarled Monica.

"So was I went she attacked me, so was I when Jerry Jacks held a gun to my stomach." she said. "I am sick and tired of Sam's whitewash when she is nothing more than a whore who slept with her stepfather on her mother's floor while she thought she was drying from cancer."

With that, Elizabeth turned and walked away to the sound of clapping. Looking at the various coworkers watching she said "Don't, she won't hesitate to make your life miserable."

Stopping she turned to Monica and said "You have no idea what you just cost yourself."

"Just like a gold digger. Worried about money." Monica said venomously.

"That would be the woman whose ass you are kissing." said Elizabeth with dignity. "Monica, some day, you will really, really regret this. Too bad for you, this is the new Elizabeth not that old people pleaser who felt sorry for everyone. There is no amount of ass kissing that will fix this."

With that she started to leave again. Hearing Sam starting to sob, she laughed as she joined Steven. "Thank you for staying out of this."

Diane who had remained looked at Monica then said "I suggest you go talk to Mac Scorpio, or even Carly."

"Diane, what about Jason's money and penthouse?" asked Sam. "His child..."

"You aren't carrying his child, Sam." she said. "I truly believe that you can't face that the man who you married wasn't Jason Morgan but grow up and face that whoever this man was, you were played."

Reading the files, the darker haired man felt sick but knew he had to get past what had happened but he would begin by making a visit to Mac Scorpio who for some reason had figured part of what was going on.

Letting himself into the Scorpio residence, shocked at the changes, he waited until the man arrived home and said "I am sorry about this but I need answers starting with my son's death and then ending with how did Robin die?"

Mac looked at the man across from him and saw how the last few years had clearly aged him, there was a bleakness to his eyes that had him saying. "I will make some coffee, this is going to take all night."

Being told what Mac had figured out, he said he would explain later but asked him to continue as he walked him through the past three years. "November 2008."

"What happened." he asked.

"Jerry Jacks. I ended up on his ship rescuing Sam. Entered a room and before I could say anything was given a sedative and heard Jerry saying something about it was time for "Jason" to go home. Then the boat exploded and that was the last thing I remembered for a while."

"What is the next thing you remember?" he asked.

"It was about a month later, I woke up with two broken legs, and in a small city in Quebec called Terrebonne. I had no memories at the time, I got healthy, worked as a mechanic. One day I was in Montreal saw a poster for a tour of the glass factory of Venice, Italy and got my memory back."

"I came to town, went straight to a small house I own and then Elizabeth showed up and started shouting at me. It made no sense but then we ended up kissing then..."

"I can guess." he said. "Why did you leave?"

"I didn't willingly, I ran into a few of Helena Cassadine's goons. The next thing I remember is waking up a few days ago in Quebec City after a visit from Jerry Jacks."

"Do you have any idea how he knew where you were?" he asked.

"No, but he told me about Spencer and my son." he said viciously. "I want to know why that drunk isn't in prison."

"Lucky and Dante." he said then realized Jason didn't know who Dante was. "Sonny's son, he is a cop who is married to Lulu Spencer."

"Mac, Elizabeth... I went to the hospital, I don't know what to say to her. How to..." he didn't know what to say.

"Jason, I have a bit more to tell you. When the fake you was killed and I went looking into things. Well the body in Jake's coffin, its not Jake." he said. Seeing the man standing, looking ready to kill, he said "I had a visit from someone you may recall. Johnny O'Brien."

"Is he looking for my son?" he asked. "Do you have a way to reach him."

"No, he wants to stay off the grid, he has questions regarding Spinelli and his closeness to Sam and what they knew or didn't know." he said bluntly.

"I wish I could disagree with that." he said shortly. "Does he have any leads."

"Yes, but you aren't going to like it. Lucky Spencer is in Ireland. He has made repeated trips there on the flimsy excuses and it looks like someone ran DNA tests on Aidan besides me."

"Aidan, he is mine?" he asked in shock then said "Lucky took Jake?"

"Yes, Johnny didn't tell Elizabeth, she is already furious with Lucky, he is afraid she might kill him." he said.

"That low life sick son of a bitch. He is going to pay and pay dearly." he said wishing he had his passport.

"Jason, what are you going to do about Sam." he asked. "I traced some money from your accounts, Sam doesn't seem to know that when you take out that much cash the bank writes down serial numbers. The money turned up in Ireland."

Jason said "First up, I am going to deal with the Quartermaines and I want Sam there. If you don't want me to kill her, you need to be there too."

"When?"

"First thing tomorrow morning." he said. "Right now, I want to check on my family and find a way to reach Johnny."

He didn't need to bother, Lucky Spencer was tied up to the wood stove in his hut in Ireland as Johnny kept Jake Morgan's head buried into his chest as he promised to take the little boy to his mommy.

The jet was in the air by the time that Lucky got free and panicked as he called his father. "Dad, I need you to come to Ireland. I am in the middle of a huge adventure but I screwed up and need help."

Luke told him he would be there as soon as he got a flight, his blood racing, his heart thumping. As he walked off the Haunted Star, he did exactly what Johnny had expected him to do and was soon on his way to Ireland.

TBC 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Six

Elizabeth woke up and was telling Cam they had to get him a bathing suit, that the happiest place on earth had a swimming pool. Dressing Aidan, she looked at her messages and felt her heart singing as she read what it said.

Wishing she dared tell someone, anyone but knowing she couldn't, she was shocked to realize she had considered calling Carly. Instead when she arrived at the store, she found the blond with her own son. "Hey, how about we get something to eat."

Soon seated in the cafeteria, Carly said "I did some checking, before I heard you laying it on the line with Monica. I got nowhere."

"I called an old friend, Carly." she said deciding she had to give her something. "He is looking into it. He did find that there was a car accident with a family that was wiped out."

"The kidney, you think it came from this accident?" she asked feeling sick at how she had pressed fake Jason and that he had gone to Elizabeth like he had. That should have been another tell that Jason wasn't the real one.

"I arranged for Mac to exhume the body buried with Jake's name." she said softly not wanting Cam to hear her. She didn't tell her the rest, things were too tenuous to completely trust Carly.

"I know we are never going to be besties, not like Emily then Robin, but Elizabeth, I just... there are so many mistakes, I can't fix. This one, I can."

"Carly what happens if or when Jason returns." she asked.

"I will be honest and say I don't know. I am sure that he is going to let me have it with both barrels. He warned me back when you were sneaking around, but I didn't listen." she said.

Morgan and Cam meanwhile were laughing as Aidan kept sticking his fingers in his nose after eating. "That is gross."

"Jake did it too." said Cam softly.

Across town, the Quartermaine den was locked except for the doors from the study as Jason sat down and waited for the family to arrive. He had wanted to confront them all together but then had changed his mind.

While on the terrace earlier, Jason had asked Mac to set up something for him, planning on ending this today. Jason saw the silver hair of the old man at the coffee pot and said "Grandmother would be ashamed of you and right now is spinning in her grave."

"Jason?" he turned excited only to find himself at the business end of a gun. "Jason, what is going on?"

"Sit down, old man." he said with a spiteful tone. "I have something for you to watch, something for you to compare to my beloved grandmother. The very wonderful Lila Morgan Quartermaine."

Edward was sicked at what he saw as Sam and Ric Lansing had sex. "She tried to claim she was raped. Doesn't look like rape to me. Lets continue."

First came Sam undercover as a stripper working with Abby, up next was the woman who had kidnapped Jake the first time. "Jason, tell Elizabeth I said thank you for being so forgiving. I am sorry."

"I know you didn't mean to hurt Jake." he said. "Would you please tell me who watched you kidnap Jake."

Hearing it was Sam, then looking in shock at Jason. "There is no way."

"Oh yes. Sam watched as my son was kidnapped, went to Elizabeth while she was frantic and told her that her son was dead and that made them alike." he then hit play again and this time Edward felt sick as the two men talked about being hired by Sam.

Jason only gave him a look of disgust then showed him what he had been shown himself this morning at four am. Sam and Maxie, talking about Jake. Sam threatening Elizabeth, and most importantly Sam on the boat, telling Sasha Donav about Jake.

"So, Edward, what would Lila think about you giving her wedding ring to that woman. And that isn't the worst part." he said standing. "You went too far trying to get close to me."

Standing, Jason said "Get grandmother's ring back or as the heir to her estate I will sue you. I think that your punishment will fit the crime. You wanted an heir at any cost, Edward. You have one but ELQ will cease to exist and become part of Morgan Enterprises. When I leave I want you to sit here and think about one thing. Lila, my grandmother and how you defiled her memory by giving her that ring and letting her live in this house."

Jason left without slamming the door as Edward sat there, looking at the only thing Jason had left him. A photo of Elizabeth and her boys and on the back, he had written the one and only Morgan family.

Then proof that he had done what he said and that Jason owned all publicly available stock including a note that he had taken back the stock that Tracy had stolen from Alan thereby from Jason's son.

Loping up the stairs, knowing Sam would sleep as late as she could, Jason entered Monica's bedroom while the woman was in the shower. When she came out of the bathroom, putting her watch on, he said "Hello Monica."

"JASON!" she said and tried to throw herself into his arms. "I am so glad you have no idea. They are claiming you weren't you."

Restraining her, Jason who had locked the door said "Are you drinking again?"

"No, of course not." she said offended.

"Then what the hell would convince you to believe a word out of that lying bitch Sam McCall's mouth. Emily, Alan hell AJ would disown you." he said scathingly. "Let me school you on the facts."

Showing her the same bits he had shown Edward, he said "Elizabeth, who was Emily's best friend, you turned on her for my not telling you about Jake. We both thought about it, but circumstances kept us from doing so, among other things, your drinking."

"He was my grandson, she had no right making you..."

"You still don't get it, do you?" he asked mocking her. "It was my choice, Monica, not Elizabeth. You should be hating me. But instead you are attacking Elizabeth, saying terrible things about the woman who was only trying to keep her son safe. Do you remember what you said to me when Emily died, Monica?"

When she flushed he said "Yeah, you do, don't you. That is one of the reasons we never told you. You know, there is nothing left of any feelings I once had for you. You cost yourself the chance to be part of my family. I was at GH yesterday, I heard you I heard what you said to Elizabeth. I want you to remember that, I want you when you die for that to be that the last thought in your head because Monica, Sam, Sam is nothing more than a con artist, yes, she played you, but you know what. I don't give a damn."

With that Jason stood and said "I want you to resign from the hospital, today. If you don't well... I will get you out one way or another."

"How dare you, after everything you have cost me." she said no longer silent.

Scoffing, Jason looked at her and said "Monica, that whore you have in my old room down the hall, she and Lucky Spencer are why you didn't know about Jake. Tomorrow, I guarantee you will want to speak to me, to get close to Elizabeth but you cut the only ties by taking up for Sam."

Jason unlocked the door then said "I can honesty say, I hate you."

Monica sat down, her legs felt weak as Jason looked at her then said "I love you, how can you walk away from your family."

"My family is Elizabeth and her sons." he said walking away then slipping down the hall into a room. Seeing Sam wearing very little, he left her a note then went to the hospital.

He wanted what he said to Sam to be public and brutal.

Sure enough, when Sam woke up and found the note in Jason's handwriting. Reading it, she quickly dressed and went to the hospital obeying Jason's orders. Seeing him talking to Patrick Drake she said "Get away from my husband, you hack."

Patrick who had heard from Jason his horror and dismay at how Robin had died, they were waiting, because Jason had decided that he deserved to be there along with Diane.

Seeing Mac nodding as he stood at the hub intercom system, Jason saw Sam's eyes tear up as she tried to throw herself into his arms. "Come on, Sam. Not even you are that stupid."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Sam, if you didn't know that the man you were living with wasn't me, you truly are idiotic." he said mocking her. "I warned you, I told you if you hurt my family you would pay. I warned you and you didn't listen. Instead you are foolish enough to think I would be dumb enough to fall in bed with you, let alone tell you I love you."

"No, Jason. I am your true love." she said. Tears were falling down her face as she said "You forgave me, I got self respect."

Jason's cold laughter was echoing through the hospital as Monica arrived to start her day.

"Sam, self respect you. Not hardly." he said. "Even now look at how you are dressed, hell the hookers on Courtland street wear more clothes. You are pregnant and wearing three inch heels."

"But you like me in heels, you told me so." she said blinking.

"No, Sam I never said that to you. I have always, always hated how you try to sexualize everything, I find it embarrassing and have to tell you a little secret, it has never turned me on."

"You loved me, Jason." she said. "I could feel your love."

"Sam, if the fake Jason loved you, that is on him. My guess is he didn't know about your _moments of weakness_. Either way, you are to stop referring to yourself as my wife. Just the idea turns my stomach. What is even worse is that Lila left me that ring you are wearing, specifically for Elizabeth. To see it on your hand is quite possibly the most revolting thing I have ever seen in my life. I promised her that if I didn't give it to her, if I didn't marry Elizabeth, I would never ever give it to another woman."

"Edward said that Lila would want me to have it." she said blinking a bit at that one.

"Edward is a greedy old man wanting an heir. Well you know what, the Quartermaines can claim your spawn. I don't give a shit, but it will be a hollow victory since I now own ELQ, all there is left is that house, that horrible house that destroys the lives of anyone who lives in it."

"Jason-" Monica was shocked at her son only for him to turn to her and snap.

"Monica, we have said all there is for me to say to you. I am not going to bother wasting my breath. Sam, that ring had better be returned to me by the end of day."

"Here, you bastard, but your little bitch will never wear it." she shouted as she threw the ring at him, hitting him in the face but he still caught it one-handed.

"Bitch?" he said then laughing told her. "Sam, someday, well never mind. I am not going to bother and I am not going to give it to Elizabeth. Your even having it on your finger has insured it needs to be sterilized but someday, who knows maybe my son will pass it on to his wife, since I would never give Elizabeth anything that has been on your tainted diseased fingers."

"Who knows, we can have it melted down and reformed." he said. "My grandmother who was the nicest kindest woman in the world, well she would despise you and what you have done."

Walking away, he heard her suddenly shouting in pain, screaming she was losing her baby and shouting for him. He didn't even turn around as he walked to the stairs and down to the exit.

Upstairs, Sam was shocked to see he hadn't even looked at her as Kelly Lee had her admitted to keep an eye on her. Monica stood there, her mind all she had heard and didn't go to check on Sam, instead going to her office and finding the picture on her computer screen.

There was a timer in the corner that was counting down. When she sat down there was a banner going across the picture of Jake and Elizabeth's littlest son. "Take a good look, it is your last one."

Johnny O'Brien made the call and soon saw Elizabeth and the blond man he knew was her brother entering through the front door unaware that there was another man entering through the back door and listening as Jake was reunited with his mother.

There were tears in his eyes as Elizabeth sobbed and hugged all over their son who was telling her that Lucky had lied and told him she was dead. He just kept hugging her and asking for Cam.

"Elizabeth, take your son home. Lucky will no longer be a threat," Johnny said his Irish accent showing.

Looking at her little boy, she leaned in and hugged him then whispered in his ear. "Make it painful, make him pay dearly for what he did and make sure he knows that I am hoping he dies shouting my name."

Stepping back, she carried Jake to the car while Steven shook the other man's hand and said "Thank you."

"I owe Elizabeth and Jason. He will return and I think that this time, well he will get it right." he said knowing that there was another person in the house. Steven drove slowly since they didn't have a car seat, arriving at the house, he

went next door and let Elizabeth enter her home with Jake by herself.

"Drake." he said when the other man answered the door. "Jake is home."

"How?" he asked then said "Morgan showed up today."

"I suspected that. The man who rescued Jake, something he said. I think my sister is going to be leaving town, and rather quickly." he said sadly but at the same time he knew it was for the best.

"Trust me after what I saw today, I am rather glad I am not on this version of Morgan's bad side." he said with a soft whistle. "I think Monica and Sam well they are now paying for what they did to Elizabeth."

"There can never be enough payment for what they put my sister through." he said coldly then told him about the money from Sam to Lucky.

"Spencer, that asshole, he had Jake all this time?" he asked. "Those damn fake crocodile tears. I hope he rots in hell."

"I am sure that he will be arriving there rather quickly." Steven said "And you know what, I am okay with that."

"Robin..." Patrick swallowed the ball in his throat and said "My wife would have been happy that they are now together. This, now this I could get why she would risk so much for this man. When he heard how she died, I saw tears and pain as he said she was his friend. That he never got a chance to apologize for his mistakes all those years ago."

Gripping his pal's hand, Steven said "Take to heart that he would have done so, I have learned that it is important to live your life to the fullest."

At the house, Elizabeth saw the shock on Carly's face and said "Its really Jake."

"H-how?" she said but then decided it could wait, still stunned that Elizabeth had trusted her to babysit when she had gotten the call about an emergency.

"Let me get Cam." she said then checking on Aidan who was asleep, she went in Cam's room and said "Cam, I have a surprise for you downstairs. Someone did something very bad but we fixed it."

Cam followed his mommy and stopped on the landing when he saw his little brother. "Jake?"

"Yes, it is me. Jake." said Jake with a grin as he flew to the stairs and to his big brother. Both women were in tears as the two boys hugged one another and then their mother, then clung to her and each other.

"Where is baby?" asked Jake.

"Aidan is asleep, Jake. Do you want me to carry you up to see him." asked Elizabeth but instead of an answer, the two boys raced past her and to their little brother's room.

Then Jake suddenly stopped then looked at his mommy tears in his eyes. "Mommy, that isn't my baby. He is too big."

"Oh Jake." she said hugging her son. "Like you grew up, so did he. He is your little brother, Mommy promises."

Jake looked at Aidan then at Cam and said "Lets go play in my room."

Rushing off, he stopped again stunned to see it was empty.

"Oh god, I forgot I..."

Carly stopped Elizabeth's tears by saying. "Jake, well since you were missing, your mommy packed all your stuff up so that it would be okay but it went missing too."

"Did Lucky steal that away too?" asked Jake to their shock. Seeing them looking he said "Man who brought me home, said Lucky stole me from my mommy."

Holding him tightly, Elizabeth saw the revulsion on Carly's face and said "Carly we can talk about it later, but Cam will you go in Mommy's room and get Jake's motorcycles."

"My motobikes?" he said and followed his big brother.

"Lucky needs to die." Carly said venomously. "If you don't do it, I will get Sonny to."

"Carly, he is facing prison, in Ireland." she said not quite sure what to tell her while downstairs, Jason was letting himself into the house. He had seen Carly in the house and wasn't sure he liked that at all.

"Elizabeth, do you want anyone to know?" she asked quietly just as her phone rang. Hearing what Sonny said she told him they had to talk but hanging up said nothing, sure that Jason wanted to surprise Elizabeth.

"I suspect that the person who rescued Jake dealt with Lucky." she said. "Carly, can you keep this quiet for now."

"For now, but if Lucky should have the balls to show up, I will not be quiet as I give into my need to kill him." she vowed as she walked down the stairs only to see Jason who was holding his fingers for her to be quiet.

Carly walked over, hugged him then was pulled out the back door. "Jason?" she whispered. "You need to get in there, be with your family."

"I will, what is going on here Carly?" he said his scowl at first scaring her.

Then hugging him she said "I grew up. Long story, Jason. But go to your family."

"I want to get my family away from here, I don't trust the Quartermaines." he said as they hugged one another.

"Fine, drive by over to my place, Morgan is at practice and Michael doesn't live there anymore." Then she stopped when she saw his surprise about Michael.

"Michael, he woke up?" he asked. "That is great news, Carly."

With a rueful laugh that sounded almost sad, she said "I forgot you don't know."

Sitting on the fence, they had no idea that while Elizabeth couldn't see them, Patrick could. Walking out intending to tell him to get inside, he heard what they were saying and said "Well Elizabeth is going to Disney, right?"

Nodding, seeing Jason's surprise, she got what Patrick was thinking. "That is brilliant, Jason can you arrange for a private jet to take your family to wherever it is the two of you love."

"Italy, you mean... that is a great idea." he said as he began to make plans to get his family to safety. "It will take two hours."

"Let me get this started." Carly said then went inside. Speaking to Elizabeth, she had her agreeing to fly out that evening to avoid dealing with the Spencers and the Quartermaines.

Across town, Lulu listened to the message from her father and was annoyed when she told Dante that her father had gone to Ireland to spend time with Lucky. "He is in trouble."

Dante got the call from Mac and listened to what he said then looked at his wife then reconsidered passing on the news. Leaving, he wasn't sure that their marriage would last, too many times lately he found himself reconsidering telling her things that as his wife he should be able to.

Arriving at the station, being told about Sam, he sat down and said "Lucky Spencer did what?"

"He kidnapped Elizabeth's son. Jake. Sam helped him fake his death." Mac said then told him. "I am trusting you with something you can't tell your wife. If you do, you are fired. No more chances, Dante."

Stunned, he listened to what Mac said then told him. "Mac, Luke went to Ireland last night."

Mac didn't like the sound of that, but could only grit his teeth before telling the young detective to speak to the geek. "I want to know what he knew about all of this."

Elizabeth had called Steven and said "Carly wants to take the kids early, I think it is a good idea."

Having gotten a call from Patrick, some part of him wanted to say no, wanting to be selfish with his family but getting that Jason and she would need the time away with the boys. Besides, this way he could stay here, run interference when Monica found out that Jake was alive and that Aidan was her grandson.

"Have fun, send me postcards." he said then added "I love you, peanut."

"I love you too, Steven." she said. "I feel like I have been given a second chance."

Elizabeth arrived at the airport, agreeing to Carly's suggestion of buying clothes for Jake away from prying eyes. Seeing the private charter jet, she handed over the luggage and was told that Ms. Jacks would join her in Florida.

Settling the boys into their seats and setting up their movie, she watched as Aidan who was up past his bedtime quickly went to sleep. Cam who was sitting next to Jake smiled at his mommy, his glee at having his family all together was infectious.

A bit worried at what she had heard, but seeing the note, she read what Carly wrote and did what she suggested. Entering the back of the jet, seeing Jason standing there, looking uncertain, she heard him saying he was sorry and threw herself into his arms. His arms closed around her and she began to notice the differences.

"We can talk later, right now, come out and spend time with your sons." she ordered as she held onto him tightly.

"I can't." he said then told her as the jet took off. "Go out, Johnny is getting us out of the country without paperwork. For now, go be with the boys. I am going to stay here until we are out of US air space."

Nodding, she did as he suggested only to have Jake explaining to Cam and to Aidan that he had already been in this jet. "Mr. O said it was fast."

Looking out the window, watching as land grew further and further away, the boys finally fell asleep. "Go, talk to him." said an Irish voice in the darkness.

Hurrying to the back, Elizabeth was hugged tightly again. When she started to speak, Jason stopped her and said "I know we need to talk, but firstly, don't blame this on yourself, none of it. Not what happened with Nik, nor with Lucky. I screwed up, took one chance too many and thanks to my mistake, we almost lost everything."

Sitting down next to one another, Jason told her what happened to him. "Why would Jerry send you back here?"

"To make Sam's life miserable. The only part I haven't figured out is who this man was nor who killed him. It would have been an almost impossible shot." he said. "I am so sorry that you had to see what looked like me with that woman."

Elizabeth took over and told him all that had happened, leaving out none of her mistakes. The fear in his eyes and the love when she told him about her visits to Shadybrook made her cry as she could see he blamed himself. "Jason, why do you supposed he gave me that money, the house. Did what he did?"

"I don't know." he said. "There has to be more to this than we know." he told her. "Are you okay with us going to Italy?"

"Do you even have to ask?" she responded with a smile. "I have to say, I am surprised Carly was able to let you go. She really might be changing."

"Carly, is she for real?" he asked. "What happened to her."

"I don't know, she seems to be." Elizabeth then told him about the changed and the mistakes. Even what Carly had done to hurt her. "But that day at the Outback, I think we saw something in each other."

"I don't know if you want to hear this, but I love you, have loved you for so long. When I got my memory back, when I came home to see you, I swore I wouldn't lose you again. Then Helena's goons grabbed me."

"Why?" she asked blinking. "I mean, she isn't nor has she ever paid any attention to you before has she?"

"No, which is odd." he said as he suddenly reached out and pulled her onto his lap. "I know it is too soon for anything but right now, I need to hold you. To know that you are not going to be gone when I wake up."

With that, Jason eased his seat back and began to sleep. Resting her head on his shoulders, she was soon asleep too. As the jet began to descend, Cam who saw the man with the accent was asleep, went looking for a bathroom.

Seeing his mommy asleep with Mr. Jason, he saw that the man looked different then saw his eyes open. Seeing the way his eyes warmed when they looked at him he said "Are you the real Jason?"

Nodding, Jason said "Yes, Cam, I am."

"Are you Jake's daddy and Aidan's daddy because I heard that loud lady and Mom talking and they said you are. And if you are, why was that other Jason there and who was he? And another thing, why did you go away. Plus, you made mommy cry."

Cam kept going and Jason could only marvel as he kept the questioning up for almost ten minutes without repeating himself once and that Elizabeth had slept straight through.

"Well?" Cam said waiting for an answer to his questions.

"Cam, why don't we wait until your brothers and we are in Italy." he said as his eldest son nodded then climbed into the chairs back there.

"Is Italy the happiest place on earth, because Mommy said we are going to the happiest place on earth." he said after a few minutes.

Hearing footsteps, he saw Jake holding Aidan's hand and felt his heart stop as he saw his youngest child who he had never met before. "Cam, right here, right now is the happiest place on earth."

Elizabeth woke up just as Jake climbed up next to Cam and Jason reached around her to put Aidan in her lap. The Morgan family heard the announcement that they would be landing soon and got into the correct seats as the plane landed in Sienna so that they could begin their new lives as a family.

Epilogue

Five Years later

Jason got off the jet and saw Carly and of all people Jasper Jacks there waiting for them. Seeing Carly's anxious eyes still on the plane, he laughed as his sons rushed forward while arguing about whether or not the snow would be different from the snow in Italy.

Carly was holding onto Jax's hand, tightening a bit when she finally saw the little girl she had been waiting to see. Elizabeth and she had kept in touch, and the artist had sent her an email of the newest member of the Morgan family and she couldn't wait to see her in person.

"Look, there they are." she said excitedly.

Jax laughed at his wife's excitement, there had been a time that only the father of this family would have caused this reaction but time and the mess years earlier had changed her, softened her.

When the family had gone through security, Jason found himself happily pushed aside so that his old friend could talk to his wife and meet her sort of namesake. While they had repeatedly tried to tell her that Lina was named for the town she had been created in, Carly refused to accept that Carolina had nothing to do with her.

"Hello Carly." said Elizabeth as the other woman said "You owe Morgan, Joss and I a trip to Disneyland and if you don't go I am taking the boys without you."

After surrendering her daughter, she said "We agreed, why do you think we are here?"

"Oh we both know why you are here." she said with a sad smile then a snicker at the other reason. "I want to be there, please?"

"Carly, I know you do, but would you please just stay with the children." said Elizabeth. "I still don't trust her."

"I understand that." she said her mind on all the trouble that Sam had caused over the last few years in her desperate attempts to find out and get to would never forgive the woman's reaction to Michael's rather reluctant olive branch on behalf of his sister, only for Sam to get a restraining order keeping him away from his sister using his past to do it.

Arriving at the discreet home they had purchased ages ago, Jason and Elizabeth settled the boys down and began to talk to the other couple. Jax agreeing to help with Jason's wishes and Carly terrorizing the boys with talks of shopping trips and showing them the town.

"Elizabeth, it is almost time." Jason said looking at the clock. The mood sobered as they told the boys to be good and then warned Carly to stop threatening them with shopping trips. "After they are my sons, Carly. They don't like to shop."

Patrick Drake did what he could to make the patient comfortable, his wife standing next to him as they worried about the scavengers outside the door. "When did they say they were coming?"

"In about a half hour." he told Robin. His wife had been kidnapped by Helena Cassadine in some desperate attempt to fix Nicolas who had been having seizures. She had been so certain that whatever was going on with fake Jason was the same as what was wrong with Nik.

In the end it had exposed several truths, first that fake Jason had been a Cassadine, but not which Cassadine. There had been rumors of his being Tony and Alexandra's but that had proven false when Sam's baby had been born.

It had also exposed the truth that Sam had not been a blood Cassadine, though out of guilt Alexis still called her daughter. Nik had eventually lived then had tried to convince Robin that they were meant to be together. Luckily Robert who had not truly believed she was dead had located and rescued his little girl.

Hearing screeching sounds, they turned to see Maxie slapping Sam as they stood in the waiting room. "I wonder what that is about?"

Grimacing, Patrick said "I was hoping I was wrong, but I guess I wasn't mistaken. Sam was trying to work her wiles on Dante."

Dante and Maxie had come together in grief after the death of Lulu. Lulu when the truth about Aidan and that Jake was alive had run without a word to her husband. When Dante had learned she had known all along what her brother was doing he had been distraught and had been shocked at Maxie's own grief at the news.

She had gone straight to Belfast to track down her brother and father to warn them about Jason, and her big mouth had gotten all three killed in battle between two warring factions of the IRA. With their death, what the Spencer family had done had come out and Ethan who had no part of it fled the anger of the entire town but especially the Quartermaine clan.

Hearing shouts, Robin said "I think it is a safe bet to say they have arrived."

The patient in the bed, being kept alive purely by the drugs pumping through their system, gave a ghostly smile as hope of forgiveness ran through their veins.

"Jason!" shouted Sam as she tried to rush towards him. "I knew it, knew you wouldn't desert your family in their hour of need."

Johnny O'Brien who had been waiting at the hospital entrance stopped the rushing women as Jason and Elizabeth gave them a wide berth and entered the room. "Patrick, Robin."

"Hi." with a hug the couple who had visited them several times in Sienna gravely explained Monica's medical condition. "She has at most a day."

Jason and Elizabeth had talked about this, both in agreement that if Sam was no longer at the mansion, they would forgive the woman but if she was still living there, there could be no forgiveness, no letting go of sins like they had with Edward.

Edward had been conned, had made a grievous error but he had never attacked Elizabeth. Never had treated her the way Monica had. So on his deathbed, they had snuck into town and gave him forgiveness.

Monica smiled through the pain, happy to see her son, knowing that he would honor her will and that in the end, she would have righted the wrongs committed. "Jason, can you forgive me?"

While he tried to feel bad for her, Monica had brought this onto herself as her liver failed from drinking since losing her job at the hospital. It had covered the cancer eating at her until it was now all over her body.

As she lay there, she refused to look at the woman who had cost her so much, over the years, Sam had told her the whole sordid story and she couldn't believe that Jason was still with this woman who thought nothing of stealing a man away from his true love.

Jason leaned down just as he saw Monica begin to fade. "Do you remember what I told you when I came home, what I said I wanted to happen, well Monica, I have three healthy sons and a daughter and you never got a chance to be a grandmother to none of them. And by this time tomorrow that whore living in your house, well she will be out on her rear."

With that announcement, Jason saw the shock in the woman's eyes, then saw her go to her past and he was certain she heard his words, Monica passed away, knowing that Jason hadn't forgiven her.

Robin called time of death, then covered her face as Jason stood and walked over and gripped Elizabeth's hand tightly. Monica had tried several times over the years to find a way to get Jake and Aidan away from them.

Spinelli had died as a result of one of those attempts. The geek risking his life to warn them having come to his senses about his goddess too late. Sonny who had at first been accepting of Jason and Elizabeth had had a slow decent into madness when it became clear the blond man wasn't coming back to the business.

He had tried everything from kidnapping to trying to murder a pregnant Elizabeth, but Johnny O had stifled him. Eventually after his death, while the autopsy had been preformed they had found out that he had had an undiagnosed venereal disease which had killed him from not getting treatment.

Johnny had stepped in to run the business as Michael thanks to learning who he really was had walked away thankfully before Sonny could drag him down with him. Michael now worked for Jax and stayed friendly with Starr Manning who ran her family's newspaper empire in Landview.

As they stepped from the room, Johnny said "The security staff will keep them out, for now. Jason, do you still want things done like was discussed."

"Yes, no funeral, just a burial in the family crypt. When can you get the team in?"

"As soon as the will is probated." he said.

"Not necessary, see while Monica owned the estate, Edward took care of the taxes. No one had been doing so since his death three years ago. I own the mansion. I will give Sam twenty four hours to vacate."

"You should know, Alexis has been making noise about Sam's daughter." he warned.

"God save the world from people like that, please?" asked Jason who saw Elizabeth walking off to greet her brother and sister who both worked at GH now. "I will deal with her. Tell me, is she still at the Lake House?"

When Johnny nodded, Jason went over to kiss his wife and tell her he would see her later. Stopping him, she asked "Are you sure you are okay?"

"I am fine." he said then added "This was a long time coming. I am off to deal with Alexis. Johnny said the little girl is at school. I think this is for the best."

"What Sam is doing to this child is criminal." she said shaking her head then hearing her name being called greeted Epiphany Johnson who had pretty much retired from her duties but had known that the couple would be arriving that day.

Arriving at the house, Jason was let in by Alexis who stared at him, not saying a word. Neither did Kristina who was home for the day and seventeen year old Molly. Then Molly said "Are you proud of yourself, proud of abandoning my sister?"

"Molly, not now." said Alexis annoyed with how her daughter seemed to think that just Jason still owed Sam. Alexis didn't care about that right now, all she cared about was helping her grandbaby. "You need to head to school."

Molly wanted so badly to say something but instead she grabbed her bag and her keys and left. Once in her car she called Sam. "Jason is at the Lakehouse."

"Thanks Molly." she said and rushed to her car. Finding it wouldn't start, she began to curse as she drove off quickly knowing just what she had to do to fix this.

Alexis looked at Kristina then said "Jason, thank you for coming. I could have used your help several years ago."

"Alexis, I did what I could. I can't prevent Sam from naming her daughter what she did or giving her Quartermaine as a last name. The courts did agree she couldn't use Morgan but Monica adopting her prevented me from stopping her from using that name."

"She is ruining that little girl." she said. "I know she isn't your daughter, but please, you have to help me."

"Alexis, there is nothing I can do. The ball is strictly in your court. I tried to get her put away when she tried to kidnap my children, but YOU are the one who saved her, who was her attorney. You are reaping what you sow. I only came to say that she might show up on your doorstep because I own the mansion and it is coming down as soon as possible." he said.

Kristina looked at him and said "She lives her life waiting for you to return."

"That is truly sad because I am happy. I have a wife and four children, Kristina, they are who I owe my loyalty to. And don't start repeating the crap your sister has been spewing, you won't like my reaction." he said coldly.

"I won't, I know it is lies, I have seen the tape." she said. "Its just Jason, you loved her at some point... can't you see if you can find some last vestiges of that love and forgive her."

Counting to ten, he said "That love you seem to think was so great, it wasn't. It was the result of resigning myself to never having the one I truly loved. Well guess what, I have her now. I have children with her, children your sister repeatedly endangered and tried to kill. There is no forgiveness, there can be no forgiveness. Ask your mother, ask her if she forgave Luis Alcazar."

With that, he was on his way out the door when they heard a car pulling Sam paying the cab drive, Alexis felt sick at the collision course that was about to happen.

"Molly." said Kristina annoyed as she got what happened. "She must have called Sam."

Alexis watched as her daughter instead of rushing straight in seemed to be opening the opposite door of cab and swore. "Morgan, please for an innocent child's sake either go along with this or go out the back door."

Turning looking for his response, she was shocked to see he was walking out the front door. Grateful he seemed to be going along, she saw him prevent Sam from hugging him then knelt down next to the five year old and speak to her.

Whatever was said, the little girl smiled then looked at her mother confused then rushed in after Jason had forced Sam to let the little girl go. "Grandma, that nice man said Mommy is ill. But I don't understand, he looks like the pictures of my daddy but he said he wasn't."

Outside, Jason just looked at Sam, shaking his head. "You need to get out of my life, now. Sam, if you keep this up, I will go to court, get custody of that child and you will never see her again. Elizabeth agrees that no child deserves to suffer with you as a mother."

"See, see you are admitting you are her father." she said. "I knew it, I knew the minute you saw her, you would come back to us."

Cursing under his breath at his stupidity in even saying that, Jason said "No Sam, she isn't my child. I have four kids, Cameron, Jacob and Aidan are my sons, Lina is my only daughter. And to name that child what you did, my god, how can anyone not put a stop to your madness."

"They know the truth, they know we are meant to be together." she said with a bright smile that quickly went away when Jason bent down and whispered something in her ears. "Jason, you know you don't mean that."

"Oh Sweet Sam, I won't be the one killing you." he said. "That will be Jerry. I had no idea, until he stopped you and Monica from trying to kidnap my children, the depth of his hate for you."

Shaking a bit, since she had had a run in with Jerry mere days before, Sam tried to brazen it out. "No, won't work this time Sam. And you have twenty four hours to get your shit out my mansion."

"Monica left it to me." she said with a smirk.

"Too bad Monica didn't own it." he said wiping the smile away. "Twenty four hours, then it comes down. There have been repeated notes ordering you to be moved out, Monica ignored them, ignored reality."

With that, Jason left, while inside Jasicina didn't understand why her mom kept insisting that that man had been her father. He hadn't felt like he was her father and she didn't look a thing like him. He had been kind but firm in telling her her father had died a long time ago.

Two days later, the mansion at 66 came down. Sam standing there shouting at Mac who had her handcuffed and was about to take her to jail when a shot rang out, then looking up he was astonished to see unknown woman Monica's age holding a gun.

"Drop the gun." he said even as Alexis to see that Sam was grievously injured. "Who are you?"

"I uh, didn't do this." she said holding out the gun. "A man standing next to me fired. With an accent, maybe English or something like it. He pressed the gun in my hand when he left."

The description soon given matched Jerry Jack as Sam died on the way to the hospital, while Jerry, well he left town to get a new face now that his work was done in Port Charles.

A week later, Jason was not sure this was such a good idea. Carly, Robin and Elizabeth were taking their various children to Walt Disney world while Jax and he dealt with the last remnants of ELQ.

Kissing his wife, he whispered I love you.

"I love you too." she said then added "I want to go and show the kids before I get too big Jason."

"Too big..." His eyes widened then traveled down her waist. "Are we?"

"Yes." she said with a laugh and felt his arms tighten around her. "We promise we will behave.

Years later as Jason explained to Cam about the ring he gave him for his fiancee the reshaped Irish gold that was now a new symbol of love, the twenty two year old man looked at the picture of his brothers and sisters and their mom and said "I guess that is what Mom means when she says that love is hard work but in the end it is worth it."

"You have no idea." Jason said then added as Cam slipped the ring in his pants pocket. "But you will learn and find that love has no limits. Congratulations, son."

Watching him leave the study, he felt his wife's arms come around his, "Our little boy all grown up."

Pulling her into his lap, Jason kissed her and said While I would change some things, I would never change what we now have nor how we ended up here."

"Me either." Elizabeth said lifting the photo on the opposite end of the desk. "Jason, how much longer are you going to keep this photo of me with Mouse ears? I swear there are days when I see it I want to travel to Australia and slap Carly."

"You shouldn't." he said kissing her neck as his hands traveled from her waist upwards. "To me that is the quintessential you. Lovely, playful, most importantly giving. We both know you wore that for the boys. After all they are in it too."

As they moved off towards their bedroom, Jason could only marvel as he thought back to Cam's question about Italy being the happiest place on earth that day on the flight here, because it had become the happiest place on earth, after all it was where his family was.

THE END


End file.
